Question: I got frightened during the last financial crisis a few years ago. I pulled my money out last spring and sat on the side lines for a very long time. I got back in, but I’m not sure when the markets might go back down. And I don’t want to make the mistake of getting out at the wrong time again. How do I prevent it?

Answer: You can always stay out of the financial markets altogether and simply be a saver, rather than an investor.

Despite Fed actions to encourage money into the market, saving is still a popular choice for some, rather than enduring more stock market drama.

One of the biggest uncertainties in Baton Rouge right now is Common Core and the implementation of a more rigorous assessment to go along with it, Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, which would replace the LEAP and iLEAP end-of-year assessments.

There are many myths surrounding Common Core and what it is and, more importantly, what it’s for. It has become somewhat of an enigma among parents, teachers and communities.

Here is a fact: Common Core, in its most basic origin, is simply a set of standards, not curriculum.